Dental professionals have employed x-ray imaging for many years. A traditional dental x-ray procedure includes exposing an x-ray film to x-ray energy after it has passed through the target site. The film is developed and an image of the target site is achieved. It has also long been known that in order to obtain a useful image, the dental x-ray film must be positioned relative to the target site in a predetermined and secure manner. Many numbers of x-ray film holders and positioning devices have been developed, including for example, that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,473,026 which is hereby incorporated by reference for background purposes.
More recently, many dental professionals have used digital x-ray sensors in place of traditional x-ray films. An example of such a sensor is shown for example in U.S. Pat. No. 6,652,141 which is hereby incorporated by reference for background disclosure of x-ray sensors. As with x-ray films, it is necessary for the x-ray sensor to be secured in a predetermined position during the x-ray imaging procedure. In a manner similar to the use of x-ray films, holding and positioning devices have been developed for x-ray sensors. Digital sensors often have attached electrical connection cords such that the digital sensor transfers data to a storage or display device such as a computer.
Another type of image media common in the dental industry is a phosphor imaging plate. The x-ray shot is stored onto the imaging plate which is later read by a scanning machine or the like and the data is transferred to a storage or display device, such as a computer.
These and other type of devices that receive dental x-rays for dental purposes are herein collectively referred to as dental x-ray imaging media, sensors, imagers or the like. Any such devices that are sensitive to such x-rays is within the scope of the invention. It will be appreciated from the above discussion that the different image media holders while all accomplishing similar purposes, that is, dental diagnostics and the like, all operate in different manners. It is also the fact that the image media themselves are different in shape, size and configuration. For example, traditional x-ray films are often manufactured inside an envelope before being used with a patient. Phosphor imaging plates are often very thin, not much thicker than a sheet of paper or two and are placed into a barrier envelope before being used in an x-ray procedure. Digital sensors tend to be fairly thick in respective comparison due to the internal energy sensing components required for such devices. It is envisioned that in the future, other type of dental imaging media will be developed using similar or perhaps completely different technologies. These all have at least some commonality in that they generally must fit within the oral cavity and they must be securely held in a desired location during the x-ray procedure.
Adding to the complexity of using different imaging media is that even within a common type of media different manufacturers often provide media products that while they accomplish the same task as other media, are of a different size, shape or configuration.
Of course, it is also known that different set-ups must often be used for taking an x-ray image of different parts of the oral cavity. For example, conventionally dental x-rays taken in the oral cavity include anterior vertical periapical, anterior horizontal periapical, posterior horizontal periapical, posterior vertical periapical, horizontal bite-wing, vertical bite-wing, left and right images and other similar x-ray positions.
It will be appreciated that given the large number of different imaging media of different sizes, shapes and configurations, and given that many different x-ray procedures may be required in the oral cavity which require varied positioning of the imaging media relative to the tooth or other target site, the imaging media holder will have a different configuration for each possible combination. This requires the dental practitioner to normally stock a large number of imaging media holders in order to be reasonably certain that a proper holder is available at any given time for an x-ray procedure. It takes time and effort to match holders to specific imaging media.
A need exists therefore for a universal dental x-ray imaging media holder that will securely affix different shapes, sizes and configurations of such imaging media. It would also be desirable if the same holder could be used to hold such different media in a selected location during an x-ray procedure and which can be used to take more than one type of x-ray by being positioned at different locations in the oral cavity. The present invention provides an adjustable holder that meets these desires.